SANTA CLARITA / ANTELOPE VALLEY : Stolen Goods Recovered After 2 Teen-Agers Arrested

Several hundred items stolen in burglaries throughout the San Fernando Valley were discovered at the home of a Sylmar man after the arrest of two teen-agers who tried to visit the man’s son in a local prison while driving a stolen car, authorities said Tuesday.

The two 16-year-old girls went to visit an inmate at the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho in Castaic on Sunday, but were arrested when Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies discovered the pair were in a stolen car, Detective Chris Christopher said. There were also about 20 stolen credit cards in the vehicle.

During questioning, the girls provided information that led detectives Monday to the Sylmar home of Gary Fowler, 55, whose son the two youths had tried to visit.

There the detectives found another stolen car, Christopher said. Inside the house were office copiers, fax machines, jewelry, electronic equipment and other items. Christopher estimated the value of the items at $100,000, not including cash withdrawals and purchases made with stolen credit cards and checks.

“We’re talking about burglaries from one end of the San Fernando Valley to the other,” he said. “It’s hard to say for sure, but we’ve got potentially a couple hundred victims here.”

Fowler was arrested Monday at the house on suspicion of receiving stolen property, possession of stolen credit cards and other charges, Christopher said. The detective said investigators are still trying to determine if Fowler committed any of the burglaries and to track down any other suspects involved.

Investigators with the Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles Police Department have located a few of the owners, but most of the items are still unclaimed, Christopher said. He said LAPD officials will try to trace the items to their owners, and may have an open house for victims to come and identify their belongings.